Whale Waters Tonga

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Big effort and great result!
Massive clean up today at Toula.
I / we can not believe that this is a clean up after it was cleaned up for the forum! Over 40 people joined us for a 2 hour clean up!
63 black 120l bags each filled with 2-3 collection bags.
So we collected some 150 collection bags and building material, household items and white good parts.
We discovered an illigal dumping point ( like a tip ) and didn’t even get started on the causeway to the Humpback lodge!
Thank you for the support of the Yachties who came down, the whale swim guests, the town officer of Toula Kavamone Toia , Viliami Maka Latavao and of course Faka'osi Lemoto from the Ministry of Tourism, who kindly pays for the gloves, bags and rubbish removal. Thank you Maka, for the rubbish removal with your truck and trailer!
Unfortunately in all the hype and activity a really nice puppy got run over. RIP your poor soul as we think you will not make it though the night!
;-(

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House Reef Dive on Macro hunt.
I found this beauty just meters into the dive.

Biggest Vava'u Clean up yet!
Over 50 people joined yesterdays clean up at Anu Beach.
No in water activity only land based again.
What a turn up and success!
This time we cleaned up for 2 hours.
Data will be collected from the photos and made available to Tangaroa Blue to be used in the global Data Base.
This success is due to a new found collaboration between
AX-Factor Dive and Vai Marlinspike who was able to connect with the lease holder Viliami Maka Latavao, the Pangai Town Officer and Pangai family and friends.
Without Vai making these connections, organizing their help, offering free transport and being hands on in the clean up this would have been not achieved! A massive thank you to her!
Another big thank you goes to Cassie Jensen who helped again with her Whale Swim teams but also donated a rubbish bin which will be installed permanently at Anu Beach. We are looking for more bin to be donated.
Thanks also to Faka'osi Lemoto from Tourism who joined in with his team and is paying for the rubbish removal and disposal, gloves and bags.
Thank you to all the other volunteers who came along to help from Yachties, Whale Swim Guides, International guest to local village people!

The pictures speak more than I can put into words!
Another 200plus batteries, some 20 nappies, flip flops, engine and gear oil bottles, cloth, fishing lines and so much plastic packaging, not to mention the bottles and cans.
There goes a tonne of rubbish in the 3rd clean up in 10 days at Anu beach.
Thank you all for your support.

SSI Adrian Bebbington Adrian Manarangi Sam Jupe

Perfect morning to wake up to!

Just finished a big clean up.
This is what we collected in only
1hour!!!!
14 people…
Mind you this was AFTER it was cleaned this week for the Pacific Forum…
So this was a clean up after the clean up… and we haven’t made a dent into it! I think 4-5 more longer and bigger clean ups are required ….. ;-(
Just FYI
The first photo at the sorting station was after 30min, then 45min and we stopped at 1 hour!
The first photo was when we arrived, the before photo…. Not bad it looked fairly clean but it was all covered up by leaves…

My 1st SSI Course!
What a success. I haven’t done a first Aid Course for a while and had to spend considerable time in prepping and get myself up to speed!
The course went well, with 2 very eager ”students” to learn!
We had pain ( going through the theory ) and loads of fun during the practical stuff and scenarios.
I surpirsed the team with a very relalistic fake blood hand injury which came out of the blue while they were relaxing in a break..
It had the intended effect. Both did well in the final exams without prior e-learning!!
Super happy and proud of the Fisheries Officers who are now better prepared for their 2 month research trip!
We covered First Assessment, CPR, Adult and Infant, Recovery Position, Log Roll, AED ( Defibrilator ), Oxygen First Aid, 2nd Assessment, basic First Aid, Bandaging, Spinal Injusries, Splitting, Imobilisation, treatments for Shock, Heart Attack, Choking, Wound Dressing and lots more.
Good luck Vili and Tevita!
It was a pleasure and fun teaching you!

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All comms down! Looks like main cable is broken again!
Thx to my Starlink and my friend Fran Johnson who bought it for me I am still here and on What’s App
+6768646152

Diving is great in Vava'u at the moment!
Just a couple of teasers. Under Water Fireworks!

Welcome back challenge.
Mr Grumpy is in here.
Not a real challenge for my dive friends... ;-)